No further forward

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  1. 7 months on & still in limbo.  I can't remember where we were when I last posted but my son finally moved up to be close to us middle of May. At our final appt at his previous hospital we were told that next steps would be to repeat PET scan once the steroids were no longer having an affect & then consult surgeons re: removing a gland this time, to stage & type. We were told there would be a 'seamless transition' to his new hospital & all notes, scans etc would be available to the new consultant whose name we had. After 4 weeks, & hearing nothing I contacted secretary & it turned out they'd been sending appt letters to a 30yr old address !! Anyway, we finally had our appt today & came out totally deflated, my son was in tears & near giving up. This new consultant hadn't read the notes, hadn't looked at scans/biopsy results & was very dismissive of the previous consultants (plural) 100% assuring of Lymphoma. He said my son would have to start again with all the same tests begining today with screening for HIV, hep c, hep b, viruses & other infections. He said my son can't have access to a macmillan nurse or open access to their ward (as he did at previous hospital) because he doesn't have a definitive diagnosis & if my son gets worse or has problems he will have to see GP, ring 111 or use A&E !! Today, my son's iron levels have dropped again & red cells are abnormal & he has to have a transfusion next week; he's still on slow release high dose Oxycodone & oramorph for breakthrough pain + metaclopromide for nausea & vomiting. I feel useless to support him & he's at his whits end with all this. It's now 8 months since he was 1st told he had a mass highly suspicious of malignancy, 4mths since a PET scan showed glands affected throughout his body, he looks shocking & now it seems he has to start all over again & no treatment in sight. I now wish we'd never moved him. My son sees no hope in the near future. 
  • Hi  ...... I missed this post earlier on....... we have three granddaughters are staying Wink

    I don't think that you are useless in any way....... you are doing what you can do...... it's the 'system' that is at fault in not being able to look at this comrahesvilay.

    I am surprised that they have not done a biopsy on him as this can rule in or out what this may or not be.

    Just do what you have been told......at the very first signs that he is in anyway getting worse you ring his GP, ring 111 or use A&E...... but my think is do it the other way round.

    What type of consultant did he see recently?

    Supportive ((hugs))

    Mike (Thehighlander)

    It always seems impossible until its done - Nelson Mandela

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  • As I posted a few months ago, (this was a follow on post) he was under the care of a professor & clinical director of Haematology at his previous hospital. His needle biopsy came back inadequate ( his main affected glands are in messenteric tissue), his bone marrow came back as reactive & his laparoscopic tissue samples (which they initially sent to wrong lab) apparently confirmed lymphoma but we're unable to stage & type.

  • I had a look back you posts but did not put this up…. I hope you don’t mind me asking but what was the reason for the change of consultants?

    Mike (Thehighlander)

    It always seems impossible until its done - Nelson Mandela

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  • Because my son moved areas to live close to family as he had no support or family close to where he was living which was a 3hr car journey from us & he's been so ill.

  • This can be challenging as on the whole the 'system' does not talk to each other so more often than not people like your son have to start at square one and navigate all the way through the process again.......

    Did your son get his original Professor & Clinical director of Haematology to contact his new hospital/department?

    Mike (Thehighlander)

    It always seems impossible until its done - Nelson Mandela

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  • Yes, we have a copy of his letter & it gives relevant info plus says that they have sent all scan/test results & states what their forward plan would have been.

  • It may be worth contact the original Professor & Clinical director of Haematology to contact the new centre directly (these folks all know each other) and mediate for him......... apart from this you are going to have to keep pushing and kicking the doors.

    Mike (Thehighlander)

    It always seems impossible until its done - Nelson Mandela

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